With more children home from school at this time of year, the National Shooting Sports Foundation is using the S.A.F.E Summer initiative to share the Project Childsafe message.

The SAFE acronym serves as a reminder to gun owners to secure their firearms; be aware of those around them who should not have access to guns; focus on responsibility as a gun owner; and educate themselves and others about safe firearm handling and storage.

The proper storage of guns is one of the best ways to help prevent firearm accidents in the home, says the NSSF; and Project Childsafe is at the core of the organization’s safety education efforts.

“The safe handling and secure storage of firearms is extremely important to us, and we just launched a new website with educational information and resources and a place where gun owners can talk a pledge to secure their firearms,” NSSF spokesman Bill Brassard said.

What has not changed is the project’s partnership with local law enforcement agencies.

Through Project Childsafe, the organization provides agencies with safety kits that include cable-style gun locks, as well as educational materials to distribute to the public free of charge.

Local participants include the Onslow and Jones County sheriff’s offices, and the Jacksonville, Emerald Isle, Newport, Maysville and Beulaville police departments.

Traditionally, the safety kits are distributed at community events such as National Night Out and upon request when they are available.

Emerald Isle Police Department recently received a shipment of 100 gun locks and is making them available to area residents at the department while supplies last.

Chief Jeff Waters said they want to help reduce the risk of unintentional injuries or deaths from firearms-related accidents.

“Anytime we can educate the public and keep kids safe, we want to do that,” he said.

Other departments are down to just a few gun locks or awaiting a new shipment.

Jacksonville Police Department is a longtime participant and will keep names on a waiting list.

“The Jacksonville Police Department is an active participant in the Project Childsafe program and has been for many years. If a citizen would like a free gun lock, we ask that they contact JPD’s Community Services Division,” department spokeswoman Beth Purcell said.

The Onslow County Sheriff’s Office has participated in a gun safety program for more than 10 years and says firearms safety is a responsibility to be taken seriously by everyone.

“The bottom line is gun safety is everyone’s responsibility. It should be one of our highest priorities,” said Walter Scott, public relations officer for the sheriff’s office.

Page 2 of 3 - Scott said the sheriff’s office asks the community to partner with them to promote gun safety.

“Let us teach our children that firearms are deadly weapon capable of causing death. No one should ever play with any type firearm or other dangerous weapons,” he said. Firearms and dangerous weapons should be viewed as though there were a deadly poisonous snake, never ever to be touched or played with except for official use.

“Parents be responsible, never ever leave your gun or dangerous weapons where a minor child can even think that it is something they can play with. And always remember a gun in the wrong hands can be unsafe and deadly.”

The sheriff’s office notes that there is a state law regarding the storage of firearms to protect minors.

Gun locks are beneficial in ensuring safety, but supplies through the office are limited by demand and budget constraints, Scott said. As supplies are available, the sheriff’s office provides locks to Onslow County citizens 21 years of age or older with proof of residency. There is also a limit of one gun lock per household.

Beulaville Police Department has depleted its supply but continues to get calls from residents interested in receiving gun locks.

“I’d like to have more,” Chief Joey Carter said.

The limited supply at Project Childsafe comes from the great demand the NSSF is seeing for the gun locks.

“The request for kits is four times as many as we can provide. There’s a very large demand but we’re doing what we can to keep up,” Brassard said.

He said they continue to fill requests as they come in from law enforcement agencies though agencies may not see as large a shipment as they’ve seen in the past.

Brassard said that firearm safety is the organization’s priority and along with its S.A.F.E. Summer campaign it has pledged an additional $1 million to provide a half million free safety kits.

NSSF started Project Childsafe in 1998 and has provided more than 36 million free firearm safety kits to gun owners in all 50 states and five U.S. territories.

The program was initially supported by federal grants provided by the U.S. Department of Justice but has been solely funded by the NSSF since federal funding was cut in 2008.

Brassard said they are pushing to get federal funds reinstated and continue to do whatever they can to promote firearm safety.

While they want to provide as many free locking devices as possible, safe storage and handling of guns is ultimately the responsibility of each gun owner.

Brassard said the same cable locks that come in the free safety kits are inexpensive and can typically be purchased at retail stores for about $10. The program’s website also has information on different types of locks and storage options.

Page 3 of 3 - For more information of the program or firearm safety visit the website at projectchildsafe.org.